Power supply terminal and power supply terminal device

Abstract

A power supply terminal (1) comprises: a pair of side wall parts (10) that are provided upright on a circuit board (2) and that are disposed facing each other in a direction along a mounting surface (2a); and at least one terminal part (11) that is disposed between the pair of side wall parts (10) and that elastically holds an intermediate terminal (3). Each side wall part (10) comprises: a cutout section (20) that forms a gap for inserting the intermediate terminal (3) which is elastically held in position by the at least one terminal part (11); and a pair of support parts (23) that are disposed facing each other so as to narrow a portion of the gap formed by the cutout section (20). The pair of support parts (23) sandwich the intermediate terminal (3), which is inserted into the gap formed by the cut part (20), in the same direction as the direction in which the at least one terminal part (11) elastically holds the intermediate terminal (3) in position.

Description

Power terminal and power terminal device

[0001] The present invention relates to a power terminal and a power terminal device.

[0002] The receptacle connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a contact including a base member mounted on a substrate, a contact member that contacts a mating contact, and two spring members that connect the base member and the contact member. By making a part of the spring member into a meandering shape, while reducing the size of the receptacle connector, sufficient elasticity is ensured. By ensuring sufficient elasticity, it is possible to absorb the displacement of the mating contact in one direction along the substrate.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4880924

[0004] According to the connector of Patent Document 1 described above, there is a problem that the structure is complicated in order to ensure sufficient elasticity.

[0005] The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a power terminal and a power terminal device that can simplify the structure while maintaining the elastic force.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a power terminal according to a first aspect of the present invention is a conductive power terminal mounted on the substrate for fitting with a mating terminal inserted in a direction orthogonal to the mounting surface of the substrate, A pair of side wall portions erected on the substrate and arranged opposite to each other in a direction along the mounting surface; and at least one terminal portion disposed between the pair of side wall portions and elastically sandwiching the mating terminal. The side wall portion includes a cut portion that forms a gap for inserting the mating terminal elastically sandwiched by the at least one terminal portion, and a pair of support portions disposed opposite to each other so as to narrow a part of the gap formed by the cut portion. The pair of support portions sandwich the mating terminal inserted into the gap formed by the cut portion in the same direction as the direction in which the at least one terminal portion elastically sandwiches the mating terminal.

[0007] A power terminal device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: a first power terminal which is a power terminal according to a first aspect and mounted on one substrate; a second power terminal which is a power terminal according to a first aspect and mounted on the other substrate; and a terminal which is made of a conductive material, which mates with the first power terminal at one end and with the second power terminal at the other end.

[0008] According to the present invention, the structure can be simplified while maintaining elasticity.

[0009] This is a perspective view showing a power terminal and an intermediate terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view of the power terminal. This is a side view showing the power terminal in a state where it is mated with the intermediate terminal. This is a side view showing the mating terminal oscillated relative to the state shown in Figure 3A. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1 showing the power terminal before it is mated with the mating terminal. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1 showing the state where the mating terminal is mated with the mating terminal from Figure 4A. This is a view of the power terminal from diagonally above. This is a view of the power terminal from diagonally below. This is a front view of the power terminal. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 1. This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second substrate connection part. This is a perspective view of a power terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the first power terminal in a state where it is mated with the intermediate terminal. This is a perspective view showing the first power terminal, the second power terminal and the intermediate terminal in a state where they are mated with each other.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the embodiments described below, expressions such as “having,” “including,” or “containing” also include the meaning of “consisting of” or “composed of.” In these embodiments, the description will be made according to the XYZ three-axis Cartesian coordinate system shown in the drawings as appropriate.

[0011] [Power Terminal] As shown in Figure 1, the power terminal 1 is a conductive material and has the shape of a single metal plate bent into shape. The power terminal 1 is mounted on the circuit board 2 and used to exchange power with other circuit boards. In Figures 1 to 9, the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 is a plane parallel to the XY plane, and the normal direction of the mounting surface 2a is the Z-axis direction.

[0012] The power terminal 1 mates with the intermediate terminal 3, which acts as the mating terminal. The intermediate terminal 3 is a rectangular, flat plate-shaped member that connects the power terminal 1 to another power terminal mounted on a circuit board (not shown in Figure 1, see, for example, Figure 9). The intermediate terminal 3 has its plate thickness surface 3a facing the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2, and is inserted into the power terminal 1 in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 2a (Z-axis direction). In this embodiment, the intermediate terminal 3 is inserted into the power terminal 1 such that its plate thickness direction, i.e., the shorter side of the flat plate-shaped member, is the Y-axis direction. The intermediate terminal 3 has a tapered shape at both ends in the Z-axis direction, making it easy to insert into the power terminal 1. Note that even if the plate thickness surface 3a of the intermediate terminal 3 has a tapered shape at the Z-axis direction, it is sufficient that the virtual cross-section of the intermediate terminal 3 viewed from the Z direction faces the mounting surface 2a.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the power terminal 1 comprises a pair of side wall portions 10, a plurality of terminal portions 11, and a connecting portion 12. Each of the pair of side wall portions 10 is a rectangular, flat plate-shaped member, and is erected on the circuit board 2 with its thickness surface facing the mounting surface 2a. The pair of side wall portions 10 are arranged facing each other in the X-axis direction along the mounting surface 2a, such that the thickness direction of each is in the X-axis direction. In other words, in this embodiment, the direction in which the pair of side wall portions 10 face each other is in the X-axis direction.

[0014] Multiple terminal portions 11 are arranged between a pair of side wall portions 10 and elastically clamp the intermediate terminal 3 in the thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the intermediate terminal 3 (see, for example, Figure 4B). Elastic clamping means that a pair of members elastically deform while holding what is clamped between them. In this embodiment, four terminal portions 11 are provided, and the four terminal portions 11 are arranged in the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall portions 10. Note that at least one terminal portion 11 is sufficient.

[0015] The connecting portion 12 is a rectangular, flat member that extends in the X-axis direction along the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. The connecting portion 12 connects a pair of side wall portions 10 and a plurality of terminal portions 11. The side wall portions 10 are connected to both ends of the connecting portion 12 in the X-axis direction. Each terminal portion 11 is composed of a pair of members that are continuous with each of the edges of the connecting portion 12 along the X-axis direction and extend away from the circuit board 2. The member extending from one edge faces the member extending from the other edge in the Y-axis direction. A pair of opposing members constitutes one terminal portion 11.

[0016] [Side Wall] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side wall 10 has a notch 20 that forms a gap for inserting the intermediate terminal 3 elastically clamped by the terminal portion 11. The notch 20 is composed of a pair of inner wall surfaces 21, a bottom surface 22 continuous with the inner wall surfaces 21, and the wall surfaces of a pair of support portions 23, which will be described later. The gap formed by these wall surfaces extends straight in the -Z direction. The pair of inner wall surfaces 21 face each other in the Y-axis direction, and the bottom surface 22 faces in the +Z direction.

[0017] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side wall portion 10 is provided with a pair of support portions 23 that are positioned opposite each other to narrow a portion of the gap formed by the notch portion 20. The pair of support portions 23 are formed by narrowing a portion of the distance between a pair of inner wall surfaces 21. Also, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the pair of support portions 23 clamp the intermediate terminal 3, which is inserted into the gap formed by the notch portion 20, in the plate thickness direction (Y-axis direction).

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the pair of inner wall surfaces 21 are divided into two parts with respect to the pair of support parts 23. One is the pair of inner wall surfaces 24 located further from the circuit board 2 than the pair of support parts 23, and the other is the pair of inner wall surfaces 25 located closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support parts 23.

[0019] In the pair of inner wall surfaces 24, the gap formed by the notch 20 is formed to narrow as it approaches the circuit board 2 and is continuous with the pair of support parts 23. In this way, the intermediate terminal 3 to be inserted into the gap formed by the notch 20 can be easily guided along the pair of inner wall surfaces 24 to the pair of support parts 23.

[0020] In the pair of inner wall surfaces 25, the gap formed by the notch 20 is formed such that the distance in the Y-axis direction is greater than that of the intermediate terminal 3. As a result, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, a step is created between the pair of inner wall surfaces 25 and the intermediate terminal 3, so that the pair of support parts 23 can clamp the intermediate terminal 3, which is inserted into the gap formed by the notch 20, so that it can swing around the X-axis, with the support parts 23 as the pivot point. The swinging of the intermediate terminal 3 is restricted by the pair of inner wall surfaces 25 that are closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support parts 23. That is, the notch 20 includes an inner wall surface 25 that restricts the swinging of the intermediate terminal 3 inserted into the gap formed by the notch 20 at a position closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support parts 23. The range of swinging of the intermediate terminal 3 around the X-axis is defined by the distance between the pair of inner wall surfaces 25, and the allowable angle of swinging of the intermediate terminal 3 is also determined by this distance.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3B, the bottom portion 22 restricts the movement of the intermediate terminal 3 in the -Z direction. The plate thickness surface 3a of the intermediate terminal 3 abuts against the bottom portion 22, thereby restricting the movement of the intermediate terminal 3 in the -Z direction.

[0022] [Terminal section] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the terminal section 11 comprises a rising section 30, an inclined section 31, a contact section 32, and a tip section 33. A pair of members, each composed of the rising section 30, the inclined section 31, the contact section 32, and the tip section 33, are arranged opposite each other in the Y-axis direction to form a pair of terminal sections 11.

[0023] Each of the pair of rising portions 30 extends away from the circuit board 2 (in the +Z direction) with the connecting portion 12 as its base end. Each of the inclined portions 31 is continuous with the rising portion 30. The pair of inclined portions 31 are inclined and extend in a direction toward each other. The contact portion 32 is continuous with the inclined portion 31. The distance between the pair of members in the terminal portion 11 is minimal at the pair of contact portions 32. The tip portion 33 is continuous with the contact portion 32 and forms the tip of the terminal portion 11. The pair of tip portions 33 extend away from each other.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4A, the intermediate terminal 3 moves in the direction normal to the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 (Z-axis direction), passes between the pair of tip portions 33, and is inserted between the pair of contact portions 32, as shown in Figure 4B. The distance between the pair of contact portions 32 is slightly smaller than the thickness of the intermediate terminal 3. Therefore, when the intermediate terminal 3 is inserted, the pair of contact portions 32 come into contact with the intermediate terminal 3 and deform in a direction away from each other. As shown in Figure 4B, the terminal portion 11 elastically holds the intermediate terminal 3 by the elastic force of the pair of contact portions 32.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, the gap formed by the notch 20 and the space between the pair of contact portions 32 of the terminal portion 11 are aligned on a straight line extending in the X-axis direction. Therefore, the flat intermediate terminal 3 can be received into the gap formed by the notch 20 and the space between the pair of contact portions 32. The intermediate terminal 3 is held by the side wall portions 10 at both ends in the X-axis direction and further held by the terminal portion 11 positioned between the side wall portions 10. In this way, the pair of support portions 23 hold the intermediate terminal 3 inserted into the gap formed by the notch 20 in the same direction as the terminal portion 11 elastically holds the intermediate terminal 3.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the pair of support portions 23 are formed further from the circuit board 2 than the pair of contact portions 32. As a result, when the intermediate terminal 3 is inserted into the power terminal 1, it contacts the pair of support portions 23 before the pair of contact portions 32. The pair of support portions 23 guide the intermediate terminal 3 to contact the pair of contact portions 32 in the correct position and orientation. Therefore, the pair of support portions 23 can protect the pair of contact portions 32 from damage. As mentioned above, the pair of tip portions 33 extend with their opposing surfaces inclined so that they move away from each other as they move away from the circuit board 2. This makes it easier to receive the intermediate terminal 3 between the pair of tip portions 33.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, when viewed in the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall portions 10, the tip portion 33 is enclosed within the side wall portions 10. That is, when viewed in the X-axis direction, the tip portion 33 is hidden from view by the side wall portions 10, and when a 1:1 projection image of the tip portion 33 is projected in the X-axis direction, the projection image is completely projected onto the side wall portions 10. Therefore, the pair of side wall portions 10 can prevent the intermediate terminal 3 from contacting the tip portion 33 before the side wall portions 10. Thus, the pair of side wall portions 10 can protect the tip portion 33 from damage.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the inclination angle θ2 of the opposing surfaces of the pair of tip portions 33 with respect to the normal direction on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 is greater than the inclination angle θ1 of the inner wall surface 24, which forms a gap at a position further from the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23, with respect to the normal direction on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. The relationship between θ2 and θ1 remains unchanged even when the terminal portion 11 is clamping the intermediate terminal 3. As a result, the pair of support portions 23 can prevent the intermediate terminal 3 from contacting the tip portion 33 before the side wall portion 10. Therefore, the pair of support portions 23 can protect the tip portion 33 from damage.

[0029] Thus, the side wall portion 10 also serves to protect the terminal portion 11. In principle, only the contact portion 32 of the terminal portion 11 makes contact with the intermediate terminal 3.

[0030] [Board connection portion] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side wall portion 10 is provided with a pair of leg portions 10a at the lower ends (-Z direction portion) of each end in the direction perpendicular to the opposing direction of the pair of side wall portions 10 (X-axis direction) and in the direction along the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 (Y-axis direction). As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, a first board connection portion 41 is formed on the end face of the leg portion 10a that faces the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. As shown in Figure 6B, the first board connection portion 41 is connected to the electrode 2b formed on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 by soldering.

[0031] The first board connection portion 41 is positioned at the four corners of the power terminal 1 when viewed in the Z-axis direction. This makes it possible to mount the power terminal 1 on the circuit board 2 in a stable position.

[0032] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the connecting portion 12 that connects the pair of side wall portions 10 and the terminal portion 11 has second substrate connection portions 42 formed at both ends in the X-axis direction. The second substrate connection portions 42 are connected by soldering to electrodes 2c formed on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. The first substrate connection portion 41 and the second substrate connection portion 42 allow the power terminal 1 to be firmly fixed to the circuit board 2.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, a pair of first substrate connection portions 41 are arranged in the Y-axis direction with the second substrate connection portion 42 in between. The first substrate connection portion 41 is formed by cutting a plate-shaped member, while the second substrate connection portion 42 is formed by bending. Therefore, the first substrate connection portion 41 can be manufactured with less error during production than the second substrate connection portion 42. For this reason, by arranging the pair of first substrate connection portions 41 in the Y-axis direction with the second substrate connection portion 42 in between, it is possible to prevent the power terminal 1 from being mounted on the circuit board 2 at an angle due to manufacturing errors.

[0034] The connecting portion 12 is formed by bending a flat plate-shaped member. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the flat plate-shaped member is bent in a direction away from the circuit board 2, and a first bent portion 12a and a second bent portion 12b are formed in the connecting portion 12. The first bent portion 12a is formed in the portion that connects to the side wall portion 10, and the second bent portion 12b is formed by bending the portion of the connecting portion 12 that connects to the terminal portion 11 away from the circuit board 2.

[0035] The power terminal 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 by soldering a pair of first board connection portions 41 and a second board connection portion 42 of the side wall portion 10 to electrodes 2b and 2c formed on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. At this time, as shown in Figure 7B, the solder wraps around to the surfaces of the first bent portion 12a and the second bent portion 12b that face the electrodes 2c, forming a so-called back fillet 50 interposed between these surfaces and the electrodes 2c. By forming the back fillet 50, the connection strength between the power terminal 1 and the electrodes 2c can be made stronger.

[0036] The power terminal 1 is supported on the circuit board 2 by the first board connection portion 41 and the second board connection portion 42. As a result, even if a difference in solder cooling rate occurs between the back fillets 50 of the pair of second board connection portions 42 during soldering, the power terminal 1 is supported on the circuit board 2 by the first board connection portions 41 at its four corners, so the tilt of the power terminal 1 caused by the difference in the cooling rate of the back fillets 50 can be suppressed. As a result, the inclination of the power terminal 1 with respect to the mounting surface 2a can be reduced.

[0037] As described above, multiple terminal sections 11 are arranged along the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall sections 10. This allows the intermediate terminal 3 to be held stably. In the power terminal 1, the pair of side wall sections 10 and the terminal section 11 make electrical contact with the intermediate terminal 3 and are used for the exchange of power between the circuit board 2 and other circuit boards.

[0038] [Electronic Terminal Device] Next, a power terminal device 100 that connects circuit board 2A and circuit board 2B using a power terminal 1 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. The power terminal 1 mounted on one circuit board 2A will be called the first power terminal 1A, and the power terminal 1 mounted on the other circuit board 2B will be called the second power terminal 1B. The power terminal device 100 according to this embodiment includes the first power terminal 1A, the second power terminal 1B, and an intermediate terminal 3. The intermediate terminal 3 is a flat terminal made of a conductive material, which fits with the first power terminal 1A at one end in the Z-axis direction and with the second power terminal 1B at the other end in the Z-axis direction. The first power terminal 1A and the second power terminal 1B both have the configuration of a power terminal according to the embodiment for carrying out the present invention described above.

[0039] As shown in Figure 8, first, the intermediate terminal 3 is inserted into the first power terminal 1A mounted on the circuit board 2A. Next, as shown in Figure 9, with the second power terminal 1B mounted on the circuit board 2B facing the first power terminal 1A, the +Z end of the intermediate terminal 3 is inserted into the second power terminal 1B. This forms a power supply circuit (transmission line) consisting of the first power terminal 1A, the intermediate terminal 3, and the second power terminal 1B, enabling the exchange of power between the circuit board 2A and the circuit board 2B.

[0040] The first power terminal 1A and the second power terminal 1B contact the intermediate terminal 3 at the side wall portion 10 and terminal portion 11, and the first board connection portion 41 and the second board connection portion 42 are connected to the electrodes 2b and 2c of the circuit board 2. The first power terminal 1A and the second power terminal 1B do not have spring members on their transmission lines to absorb misalignment between them, and their configuration is simplified.

[0041] According to the power terminal device 100 of this embodiment, the distance between the pair of support parts 23 on the side wall portion 10 constituting the first power terminal 1A can be set to be smaller than the distance between the pair of support parts 23 on the side wall portion 10 constituting the second power terminal 1B. In this case, when the circuit board 2A is moved in the -Z direction from the state shown in Figure 9, the mating between the intermediate terminal 3 and the second power terminal 1B is released, and the intermediate terminal 3 remains inserted into the first power terminal 1A, as shown in Figure 8. This prevents the intermediate terminal 3 from falling out of the first power terminal 1A and coming into contact with the circuit formed on the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2A, thereby preventing the circuit from short-circuiting or malfunctioning. As a result, special work to prevent short circuits and malfunctions as described above becomes unnecessary, improving workability.

[0042] [Summary] (1) As described in detail above, the conductive power terminal 1 according to this embodiment is mounted on the circuit board 2 in order to engage with an intermediate terminal 3 that is inserted into the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 in the Z-axis direction. The power terminal 1 comprises a pair of side wall portions 10 that are erected on the circuit board 2 and are arranged opposite to each other in a direction along the mounting surface 2a, and at least one terminal portion 11 that is arranged between the pair of side wall portions 10 and elastically grips the intermediate terminal 3. The side wall portion 10 comprises a notch portion 20 that forms a gap for inserting the intermediate terminal 3 elastically gripped by at least one terminal portion 11, and a pair of support portions 23 that are arranged opposite to each other so as to narrow a part of the gap formed by the notch portion 20. The pair of support portions 23 grip the intermediate terminal 3 inserted into the gap formed by the notch portion 20 in the same direction as the direction in which at least one terminal portion 11 elastically grips the intermediate terminal 3. With this type of power terminal 1, there is no need to interpose an elastic member between the part that contacts the intermediate terminal 3 and the part that connects to the circuit board 2, thus simplifying the structure while maintaining elastic force.

[0043] (2) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, the gap formed by the cut portion 20 is closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23 at a position farther from the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23, and closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23. It is formed so as to become narrower as it approaches, and at a position closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23, it is formed so as to be wider than the intermediate terminal 3. By doing so, it is possible to facilitate the insertion of the intermediate terminal 3, so that the workability of the insertion work can be improved.

[0044] (3) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, the pair of support portions 23 sandwich the intermediate terminal 3 inserted into the gap formed by the cut portion 20 so as to be swingable. By doing so, even when there is a displacement in the Y-axis direction between the power supply terminal mounted on the connection destination circuit board 2 and the intermediate terminal 3 is inclined, the power supply terminal 1 and the intermediate terminal 3 can be prevented from being damaged while maintaining the connection between the terminals.

[0045] (4) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, the cut portion 20 includes a wall surface that restricts the swing of the intermediate terminal 3 inserted into the gap formed by the cut portion 20 at a position closer to the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the intermediate terminal 3 from tilting and contacting other parts more than necessary and causing a short circuit.

[0046] (5) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, at least one terminal portion 11 has a pair of contact portions 32 that contact and elastically sandwich the intermediate terminal 3. The pair of support portions 23 are formed at a position farther from the circuit board 2 than the pair of contact portions 32. By doing so, the intermediate terminal 3 comes into contact with the support portion 23 before the pair of contact portions 32, so that the contact portion 32 can be protected from damage by the side wall portion 10.

[0047] (6) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, at least one terminal portion 11 is continuous with a pair of contact portions 32 and has a pair of tip portions 33 that extend with the opposing surfaces tilting away from each other in a direction away from the circuit board 2. When viewed in the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall portions 10, the tip portions 33 are included in the side wall portions 10. In this way, since the intermediate terminal 3 comes into contact with the pair of side wall portions 10 and then comes into contact with the contact portions 32, the tip portions 33 can be protected from damage.

[0048] (7) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, the inclination angle θ2 of the opposing surfaces of the pair of tip portions 33 with respect to the normal direction of the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2 is greater than the inclination angle θ1 of the inner wall surface 24 that forms a gap formed by the cutout portion 20 at a position farther from the circuit board 2 than the pair of support portions 23. In this way, the tip portions 33 can be prevented from protruding from the protection region by the side wall portions 10, so that the tip portions 33 can be protected from damage.

[0049] (8) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, in the side wall portion 10, first board connection portions 41 for connecting to the circuit board 2 are formed at both ends in the direction orthogonal to the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall portions 10 and along the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. In this way, since the power supply terminal 1 is connected to the circuit board 2 at the four corners when viewed in the Z-axis direction, the power supply terminal 1 can be mounted on the circuit board 2 in a stable state.

[0050] (9) According to the conductive power supply terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, the side wall portion 10 is composed of a flat plate-like member. The first board connection portion 41 is formed on the end surface of the flat plate-like member facing the mounting surface 2a. In this way, since the power supply terminal 1 can be connected to the circuit board 2 with a surface having few manufacturing errors, the power supply terminal 1 can be mounted on the circuit board 2 without being tilted.

[0051] (10) The conductive power terminal 1 according to this embodiment includes a connecting portion 12 that connects a pair of side wall portions 10 and at least one terminal portion 11 along the mounting surface 2a of the circuit board 2. A second board connection portion 42 that connects to the circuit board 2 is formed on the connecting portion 12. In this way, the power terminal 1 can be mounted on the circuit board 2 in a stable state by the first board connection portion 41 and the second board connection portion 42.

[0052] (11) In the conductive power terminal 1 according to this embodiment, the connecting portion 12 is formed by bending a flat plate-shaped member. The connecting portion 12 also includes a first bent portion 12a which is bent away from the circuit board 2 and connects to the side wall portion 10, and a second bent portion 12b which is bent so that the portion of the connecting portion 12 that connects to at least one terminal portion 11 is away from the circuit board 2. This makes it possible to firmly connect the power terminal 1 to the circuit board 2.

[0053] (12) In the conductive power terminal 1 according to this embodiment, multiple terminal portions 11 are arranged along the opposing direction (X-axis direction) of the pair of side wall portions 10. In this way, the intermediate terminal 3 can be stably clamped by multiple terminal portions 11.

[0054] (13) The power terminal device 100 according to this embodiment includes a first power terminal 1A mounted on one circuit board 2A, a second power terminal 1B mounted on the other circuit board 2B, and a flat intermediate terminal 3 made of a conductive material, which fits with the first power terminal 1A at one end and with the second power terminal 1B at the other end. By connecting the first power terminal 1A and the second power terminal 1B via the intermediate terminal 3 in this way, the allowable range of relative positional misalignment between the first power terminal 1A and the second power terminal 1B can be widened.

[0055] (14) According to the power terminal device 100 of this embodiment, the distance between the pair of support parts 23 on the side wall part 10 constituting the first power terminal 1A is smaller than the distance between the pair of support parts 23 on the side wall part 10 constituting the second power terminal 1B. In this way, the intermediate terminal 3 can remain inserted into either the first power terminal 1A or the second power terminal 1B, so that when the connection between circuit boards 2A and 2B is disconnected, the intermediate terminal 3 can remain inserted into the first power terminal 1A. This prevents short circuits with the circuits of circuit boards 2A or 2B or contact with the circuits, and makes the disconnection process easier, thereby improving workability.

[0056] Furthermore, the first power terminal 1A may be configured to directly mate with the mating power terminal without using the intermediate terminal 3. For example, the mating power terminal may have a flat contact portion similar to that of the intermediate terminal 3. In this case, the intermediate terminal 3 becomes unnecessary, further reducing the number of components and simplifying the overall configuration.

[0057] This invention allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention. In other words, the scope of this invention is indicated not by the embodiments, but by the claims. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the equivalent scope of the meaning of the invention are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

[0058] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-193510, filed on November 5, 2024, and incorporates the entire description, claims, and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-193510 by reference within this specification.

[0059] This invention can be applied, for example, to power terminals mounted on a circuit board.

[0060] 1 Power terminal, 1A First power terminal, 1B Second power terminal, 2, 2A, 2B Circuit board (board), 2a Mounting surface, 2b, 2c Electrode, 3 Intermediate terminal (mating terminal), 3a Thickness surface, 10 Side wall portion, 10a Leg portion, 11 Terminal portion, 12 Connecting portion, 12a First bend portion, 12b Second bend portion, 20 Notch portion, 21 Inner wall surface, 22 Bottom surface, 23 Support portion, 24, 25 Inner wall surface, 30 Rising portion, 31 Inclined portion, 32 Contact portion, 33 Tip portion, 41 First board connection portion, 42 Second board connection portion, 50 Back fillet, 100 Power terminal device

Claims

A conductive power terminal mounted on a substrate for mating with a mating terminal inserted in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the substrate, A pair of side wall portions erected on the substrate and arranged opposite to each other in a direction along the mounting surface, It comprises at least one terminal portion disposed between the pair of side wall portions and elastically gripping the mating terminal, The aforementioned side wall portion is A notch that forms a gap for inserting the mating terminal elastically held in place at least one terminal portion, It comprises a pair of support parts arranged opposite each other so as to narrow a portion of the gap formed by the aforementioned cut-out portion, The pair of support portions clamp the mating terminal inserted into the gap formed by the notch in the same direction as the direction in which at least one terminal portion elastically clamps the mating terminal. Power terminal. 　 The gap formed by the aforementioned cut portion is At positions further from the substrate than the pair of support portions, the structure is formed to narrow as it approaches the substrate. At a position closer to the substrate than the pair of support portions, the width is formed to be greater than that of the mating terminal inserted into the gap formed by the notch. The power terminal according to claim 1. 　 The pair of support portions swingably grips the mating terminal inserted into the gap formed by the notch. The power terminal according to claim 2. 　 The notch portion is located closer to the substrate than the pair of support portions and includes a wall surface that restricts the swinging of the mating terminal inserted into the gap formed by the notch portion. The power terminal according to claim 3. 　 The at least one terminal portion has a pair of contact portions that contact and elastically clamp the mating terminal, The pair of support portions are formed at a position further from the substrate than the pair of contact portions. The power terminal according to claim 1. 　 The at least one terminal portion has a pair of tip portions that are continuous with the pair of contact portions and extend in a direction in which the opposing surfaces move away from each other as they move away from the substrate, When viewed in the opposing directions of the pair of side walls, the tip portion is enclosed by the side walls. The power terminal according to claim 5. 　 The inclination angle of the pair of tip portions with respect to the direction normal to the mounting surface of the substrate is greater than the inclination angle of the inner wall surface that forms the gap at a position further from the substrate than the pair of support portions, with respect to the direction normal to the mounting surface of the substrate. The power terminal according to claim 6. 　 In the side wall portion, a first substrate connection portion is formed at each end in a direction perpendicular to the opposing direction of the pair of side wall portions and along the mounting surface of the substrate, for connection to the substrate. The power terminal according to claim 1. 　 The aforementioned side wall portion is composed of a flat plate-shaped member. The first substrate connection portion is formed on the end face of the flat plate-shaped member facing the mounting surface, The power terminal according to claim 8. 　 The substrate is provided with a connecting portion that connects the pair of side wall portions and the at least one terminal portion along the mounting surface of the substrate, A second substrate connection portion is formed in the connecting portion to connect to the substrate. The power terminal according to claim 8. 　 The aforementioned connecting portion is formed by bending a flat plate-shaped member, A first bent portion is bent in a direction away from the substrate and connects to the side wall portion, The connecting portion comprises a second bent portion, the portion of which the connecting portion that connects to the at least one terminal portion is bent so that it is separated from the substrate, The power terminal according to claim 10. 　 The terminal portions are arranged in a plurality along the opposing direction of the pair of side wall portions. The power terminal according to claim 1. A first power terminal, which is a power terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 12, is mounted on one of the circuit boards, The other board is mounted on a second power supply terminal which is a power supply terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and comprises A terminal formed of a conductive material, which mates with the first power terminal at one end and with the second power terminal at the other end, A power terminal device equipped with the following features. 　 The distance between the pair of support parts in the side wall portion constituting the first power terminal is smaller than the distance between the pair of support parts in the side wall portion constituting the second power terminal. The power terminal device according to claim 13.

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